Category: Eco Solar Hawaii

Ever wonder what it’s like take your home virtually off-grid with solar panels and a home battery system? Air traffic controller Bronson installed 36 SunPower panels and two Tesla Powerwall batteries on his Ewa Beach home in October of 2016. So far, the results have been impressive.

Here’s how it works. Electricity generated by the solar panels takes one of three possible paths, but it always prioritizes like this:

1. House
2. Batteries
3. Grid

On a sunny day, solar power runs the A/C, fridge and everything else. Excess power fills the battery. After the battery fills up, all remaining energy is exported to the grid.

When the sun goes down, the batteries kick on, supplying steady power to the home through the night. If the batteries become depleted, grid power comes on to bridge the gap until solar starts filling them up again.

Powerwall made it possible for Bronson to go virtually off-grid. With the right combination of solar panels and batteries; dependence on the utility is almost eliminated. Grid power can be thought of as a backup, there only to provide energy during when cloudy weather impacts solar production.

An important benefit of the Powerwall is its ability to provide backup during a power failure. During the planning process, SunPower by Eco Solar helped Bronson identify two critical circuits that automatically switch on when grid power fails.

In January, Bronson’s system produced 120 kWh more energy than he consumed. As summer months come on with longer days and better weather, his ability to offset grid power will go up even further.

An important note about connecting to the grid:

Bronson’s system was installed under HECO’s Customer Grid Supply (CGS) program, which allows credit for energy he exports. Systems installed under the newer Customer Self Supply (CSS) are not allowed to export; so all energy generated must be consumed or stored.

Systems installed under CGS can potentially be retrofitted with Powerwall in order to achieve greater savings and emergency backup. To find out more, contact us for details.

Why not go completely off grid?

It is theoretically possible in some instances, but it is impractical and cost-prohibitive for average homeowners.

Off-grid means no connection to the grid at all, so you must have enough battery storage to endure many potential days of cloudy weather. You’d also need enough solar panels to fill those batteries.

Bottom line: that’s a lot of costly equipment that takes up a lot of space. If saving money is the goal, going completely off-grid won’t get you there.

 

Video Testimonial: Bronson M.

“The Tesla batteries were far ahead of the ball game. The efficiency, the longevity, no one even came close.”

Click here to watch the video…

As we reported in our last post, Hawaiian Electric’s Customer Grid Supply program was nearing capacity on Oahu. In September, the program was officially closed out.

So what are the options for solar now?

With HECO’s new Customer Self Supply program, you can still:

• take advantage of tax incentives
• reduce your dependency on grid energy
• achieve significant monthly electric savings

Beyond that, Self Supply makes it easier to incorporate innovative technology like battery backup and smart energy management into your home energy portfolio.

Here’s what you need to know about Self Supply…

Check us out on YouTube!

We are proud to announce the launch of our new YouTube channel!

On it you can find videos from customers talking about their experience with SunPower by Eco Solar as well as fact-filled clips about our products.

Check it out here…

The Customer Grid Supply Program (CGS) from Hawaiian Electric, launched in October 2015 to offer a solar opportunity to homeowners who missed out on the Net Metering program, is drawing to a close.

25 MW of grid capacity was originally allocated, but the most recent update from HECO shows the capacity to be under 5 MW. During a recent 20-day period, over 7% of the remaining space was reserved with new applications!

Sources inside Hawaiian Electric indicate that the pace of new CGS applications is increasing as the limit approaches. We anticipate that the program will expire in late September or early October at the latest.

Bottom line: if someone you know is still waiting to get solar, it is urgent that they reach out now to reserve their grid space!

To learn more about how the grid supply program works, please read our explanation of the program.

Dust, salt spray, bird droppings, leaves and other debris on your solar panels can noticeably impact your system’s performance over time.

If you have concerns, talk to us about our Eco Boost solar panel cleaning and maintenance service. We recommend it annually for all systems, but if you’ve had solar for years, it’s time for a checkup!

We’ll clean your solar panels and make sure all your electrical and roof-mounted equipment is in good working condition. When we’re done, we’ll email you a comprehensive report on your system, complete with an itemized checklist indicating any potential performance issues.

Jerry Vares of Hawaii Kai gets an Eco Boost for his system every year. He’s happy about the surge in performance it provides along the peace of mind that comes with knowing his solar investment is being checked regularly by trained technicians.

“It just performs better. If you look at the graphs, it’s producing better than before it was cleaned. So maintenance is really important and the service is awesome!” says Vares.

Eco Boost is available for any residential solar energy system on Oahu. You do not need to be a SunPower by Eco Solar customer to take advantage of the service, but for a limited time we are offering a 50% discount to members of our SunPower by Eco Solar ‘ohana!

To schedule service or get a quote, contact us here or call 808 744-2274.

SunPower by Eco Solar is proud to announce the arrival of the Tesla Powerwall Home Battery on Oahu!

If you already have solar, upgrading your system to Tesla Powerwall provides clean, reliable emergency backup power, eliminating the need for fuel storage and noisy, fume-producing generators.

If you are installing a new system, the Powerwall enables you to optimize your consumption of solar energy under Hawaiian Electric’s new grid-supply or self-supply program in addition to giving you worry-free backup during a power outage.

Ready to find out more? Contact us now to schedule a free consultation.

We have experienced an increase in calls this year related to paint overspray affecting the energy production of homeowners’ PV systems. This unfortunate situation happens when the homeowner has their home repainted and during the application of paint on the eaves and gutters, overspray covers the PV modules. The effects are costly and affect both energy production and the aesthetics of the PV system.

If you are planning to have your home repainted, please make sure the painter you select carefully covers the PV modules with a tarp or uses a brush to apply the paint.

If you have had your home painted since we installed your PV system and precautions for overspray weren’t taken, you may have paint on your PV modules.

We are here to help! We can help you to remove the paint overspray, or it may also be a great time to take advantage of our expert maintenance package, the Eco Boost.

In an Eco Boost we clean your PV modules and make sure your electrical and roof-mounted equipment is in good working condition. Please note that the additional time spent on particularly stubborn cases where the paint is difficult to remove may be billable.

A note to all the Do-It-Yourselfers: since PV module manufacturers don’t allow us to use cleaning solutions, removing paint is a delicate procedure done by using non-abrasive sponges and scrapers whilst applying filtered water.

Call us today if you suspect you have paint overspray or to see if your PV system needs an Eco Boost!

We’ve helped over 1,500 Oahu families reduce or eliminate their electric bill, but have you considered reducing operating costs at your business or organization with solar?

Homeworks Construction in Honolulu was able to greatly reduce their energy bill with zero out-of-pocket expenses or impact to their Moilili headquarters.

Even with a small footprint and challenging roof layout, Homeworks was able to optimize their savings with super-efficient SunPower panels.

Click here to read the full story…

If you own a commercial building or work somewhere where solar would make sense, contact us to find out more.

What do you watch, listen and follow?

And why do we care? It’s not because were super-nosey. Seriously. We’re interested in the radio stations you listen to, the TV stations you watch and the websites you follow so we can target our marketing to find more smart people like you.

Please take a minute to fill out our Customer Interest Survey. You don’t have to give your name, but if you do, we promise not to tell anyone about that show you’re binge watching!

We’re reaching out to more people, but most of our new customers are your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

We’ve paid out tens of thousands in referral rewards. Our current reward is $500 for each new customer you refer that buys or leases a SunPower system from us.

So please keep those referrals coming!

According to Hawaiian Electric, there are nearly 15,000 homeowners in Hawaii who have an approved or pending Net Energy Metering (NEM) agreement but haven’t yet installed solar. Chances are one of your friends, family or neighbors are among these folks.

If you can help us find these Golden Ticket holders, it can greatly benefit both you and them. Here’s why:

For a limited time, SunPower by Eco Solar is offering $1000 in incentives to bring your friends on board for their solar energy project. The details:

• $500 referral fee to you
• $500 discount to your friend on their system

To refer a friend please click here. In the “additional notes” please write “Golden Ticket”!

Time is running out to cash in those Golden Tickets!

Why is an NEM a Golden Ticket? Two main reasons, greater savings and increase in home value.

Although Hawaii became the first state in the nation to end net metering in October 2015, the rule change contained an incredible opportunity for homeowners who got in before the deadline.

Simply stated, the NEM becomes attached to your home, so you can continue to enjoy the benefits for as long as you stay there and even transfer the agreement to a new owner if you sell!

While the new Grid Supply program still offers huge savings via solar, NEM offers a more straightforward approach that saves greater dollars over the long haul.

Bottom line: if someone you know has a NEM, but hasn’t installed solar yet – don’t let them miss out on this opportunity. There are only a few months left before all of those golden tickets expire!

If you have questions regarding net metering or the new grid supply program please contact us, hit us up on Facebook or call us at 808 744-2274.

What does the recent ruling from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) mean for the future of solar energy in Hawaii? If you’ve already installed a system, the news is very good indeed. Even if you haven’t, the news is still good, but the clock is ticking!

For those who already have solar or who filed for Net Energy Metering (NEM) on or before October 12, Hawaiian Electric has “grandfathered” your system in, meaning that you will continue to enjoy the savings. There’s even a provision that allows you to transfer your NEM to a new owner should you decide to sell your home in the future.
 
So if you already went solar, now’s your chance to feel even smarter about locking in those savings, but what about your friends and family who haven’t had the chance to make the move?

There is still time left, but the clock is ticking…

Hawaiian Electric’s new “grid supply” program allows homeowners to now benefit from an energy buyback strategy. Like net metering, this plan will provide tens of thousands in lifetime savings for the average customer. The PUC however, has limited these installations to 25 megawatts in total, which experts predict will be exhausted within 8-12 months.

Bottom line for the undecided: time is running out!

Now more than ever, the quality of the system you install is crucial. SunPower panels are guaranteed to produce significantly more energy over time than all other panels. Investing in a high-efficiency SunPower system is the smartest choice you can make to increase your lifetime savings, regardless of the changing landscape of utility rules and incentives.

So if your friends and family are still waiting, now is the time to tell them about Eco Solar. One thing that hasn’t changed – we’re still paying you $500 for every friend you refer to us that joins the Eco Solar ohana!

Refer a friend…